Advance encode processing based on raw video data

ABSTRACT

Advance encode processing based on raw video data. Adaptive processing of a video signal may be made by making one or more decisions and/or directing one or more encoding steps based upon characteristic(s) associated with the video signal in raw form (e.g., before the video signal undergoing any processing in accordance with generating an output video bitstream). Characteristic(s) associated with the video signal (raw form) may be used to drive intra-prediction angular mode selection, including making a preliminary/coarse angular mode selection (e.g., which may be refined and/or modified based upon partial and/or full processing of the video signal). Characteristic(s) associated with the video signal (raw form) may be used to drive intra-prediction/inter-prediction operational mode selection (or intra-prediction/inter-prediction/neither operational mode selection). An integrated and/or embedded video decoder within a video encoding device may be provisioned to assist in adaptation of one or more of the video encoding operations.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS/PATENT APPLICATIONS Provisional Priority Claims

The present U.S. Utility Patent Application claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to the following U.S. Provisional Patent Application which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and made part of the present U.S. Utility Patent Application for all purposes:

1. U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/541,938, entitled “Coding, communications, and signaling of video content within communication systems,” (Attorney Docket No. BP23215), filed Sep. 30, 2011, pending.

Incorporation by Reference

The following standards/draft standards are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and are made part of the present U.S. Utility Patent Application for all purposes:

1. “WD4: Working Draft 4 of High-Efficiency Video Coding, Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC),” Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) of ITU-T SG16 WP3 and ISO/IEC JTC1/SC29/WG11 6th Meeting: Torino, IT, 14-22 Jul., 2011, Document: JCTVC-F803 d4, 230 pages.

2. International Telecommunication Union, ITU-T, TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDIZATION SECTOR OF ITU, H.264 (March 2010), SERIES H: AUDIOVISUAL AND MULTIMEDIA SYSTEMS, Infrastructure of audiovisual services—Coding of moving video, Advanced video coding for generic audiovisual services, Recommendation ITU-T H.264, also alternatively referred to as International Telecomm ISO/IEC 14496-10—MPEG-4 Part 10, AVC (Advanced Video Coding), H.264/MPEG-4 Part 10 or AVC (Advanced Video Coding), ITU H.264/MPEG4-AVC, or equivalent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to digital video processing; and, more particularly, it relates to performing video encoding in accordance with such digital video processing.

2. Description of Related Art

Communication systems that operate to communicate digital media (e.g., images, video, data, etc.) have been under continual development for many years. With respect to such communication systems employing some form of video data, a number of digital images are output or displayed at some frame rate (e.g., frames per second) to effectuate a video signal suitable for output and consumption. Within many such communication systems operating using video data, there can be a trade-off between throughput (e.g., number of image frames that may be transmitted from a first location to a second location) and video and/or image quality of the signal eventually to be output or displayed. The present art does not adequately or acceptably provide a means by which video data may be transmitted from a first location to a second location in accordance with providing an adequate or acceptable video and/or image quality, ensuring a relatively low amount of overhead associated with the communications, relatively low complexity of the communication devices at respective ends of communication links, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate various embodiments of communication systems.

FIG. 3A illustrates an embodiment of a computer.

FIG. 3B illustrates an embodiment of a laptop computer.

FIG. 3C illustrates an embodiment of a high definition (HD) television.

FIG. 3D illustrates an embodiment of a standard definition (SD) television.

FIG. 3E illustrates an embodiment of a handheld media unit.

FIG. 3F illustrates an embodiment of a set top box (STB).

FIG. 3G illustrates an embodiment of a digital video disc (DVD) player.

FIG. 3H illustrates an embodiment of a generic digital image and/or video processing device.

FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6 are diagrams illustrating various embodiments of video encoding architectures.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of intra-prediction processing.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of inter-prediction processing.

FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are diagrams illustrating various embodiments of video decoding architectures.

FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of intra-prediction direction line(s).

FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment of intra-prediction angular modes.

FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of adaptive and/or selective operational mode selection based at least on raw data (e.g., an input video signal).

FIG. 14 illustrates an embodiment of parameter set selection based at least on raw data (e.g., an input video signal) (e.g., such as one or more parameters for an adaptive loop filter (ALF), sample adaptive offset (SAO) filter, etc.).

FIG. 15 illustrates an embodiment of intra-prediction or inter-prediction mode (or neither) selection based at least on raw data (e.g., an input video signal).

FIG. 16 illustrates an embodiment of adaptive and/or selective determination of intra-prediction angular mode based at least on raw data (e.g., an input video signal).

FIG. 17 illustrates an embodiment of modified intra-prediction.

FIG. 18 and FIG. 19 are diagrams illustrating various embodiments of video encoding architectures operative for making intra-prediction and/or inter-prediction (or neither) selection adaptively based at least on raw data (e.g., an input video signal).

FIG. 20 illustrates an embodiment of a video encoder, implemented with at least one internal decoder therein, whose operation is adaptive based on information provided from the at least one internal decoder and/or at least one remotely implemented decoder.

FIG. 21A, FIG. 21B, FIG. 22A, and FIG. 22B illustrate various embodiments of methods for performing advance encode processing based on raw video data.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Within many devices that use digital media such as digital video, respective images thereof, being digital in nature, are represented using pixels. Within certain communication systems, digital media can be transmitted from a first location to a second location at which such media can be output or displayed. The goal of digital communications systems, including those that operate to communicate digital video, is to transmit digital data from one location, or subsystem, to another either error free or with an acceptably low error rate. As shown in FIG. 1, data may be transmitted over a variety of communications channels in a wide variety of communication systems: magnetic media, wired, wireless, fiber, copper, and/or other types of media as well.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are diagrams illustrate various embodiments of communication systems, 100 and 200, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 1, this embodiment of a communication system 100 is a communication channel 199 that communicatively couples a communication device 110 (including a transmitter 112 having an encoder 114 and including a receiver 116 having a decoder 118) situated at one end of the communication channel 199 to another communication device 120 (including a transmitter 126 having an encoder 128 and including a receiver 122 having a decoder 124) at the other end of the communication channel 199. In some embodiments, either of the communication devices 110 and 120 may only include a transmitter or a receiver. There are several different types of media by which the communication channel 199 may be implemented (e.g., a satellite communication channel 130 using satellite dishes 132 and 134, a wireless communication channel 140 using towers 142 and 144 and/or local antennae 152 and 154, a wired communication channel 150, and/or a fiber-optic communication channel 160 using electrical to optical (E/O) interface 162 and optical to electrical (O/E) interface 164)). In addition, more than one type of media may be implemented and interfaced together thereby forming the communication channel 199.

It is noted that such communication devices 110 and/or 120 may be stationary or mobile without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, either one or both of the communication devices 110 and 120 may be implemented in a fixed location or may be a mobile communication device with capability to associate with and/or communicate with more than one network access point (e.g., different respective access points (APs) in the context of a mobile communication system including one or more wireless local area networks (WLANs), different respective satellites in the context of a mobile communication system including one or more satellite, or generally, different respective network access points in the context of a mobile communication system including one or more network access points by which communications may be effectuated with communication devices 110 and/or 120.

To reduce transmission errors that may undesirably be incurred within a communication system, error correction and channel coding schemes are often employed. Generally, these error correction and channel coding schemes involve the use of an encoder at the transmitter end of the communication channel 199 and a decoder at the receiver end of the communication channel 199.

Any of various types of ECC codes described can be employed within any such desired communication system (e.g., including those variations described with respect to FIG. 1), any information storage device (e.g., hard disk drives (HDDs), network information storage devices and/or servers, etc.) or any application in which information encoding and/or decoding is desired.

Generally speaking, when considering a communication system in which video data is communicated from one location, or subsystem, to another, video data encoding may generally be viewed as being performed at a transmitting end of the communication channel 199, and video data decoding may generally be viewed as being performed at a receiving end of the communication channel 199.

Also, while the embodiment of this diagram shows bi-directional communication being capable between the communication devices 110 and 120, it is of course noted that, in some embodiments, the communication device 110 may include only video data encoding capability, and the communication device 120 may include only video data decoding capability, or vice versa (e.g., in a uni-directional communication embodiment such as in accordance with a video broadcast embodiment).

Referring to the communication system 200 of FIG. 2, at a transmitting end of a communication channel 299, information bits 201 (e.g., corresponding particularly to video data in one embodiment) are provided to a transmitter 297 that is operable to perform encoding of these information bits 201 using an encoder and symbol mapper 220 (which may be viewed as being distinct functional blocks 222 and 224, respectively) thereby generating a sequence of discrete-valued modulation symbols 203 that is provided to a transmit driver 230 that uses a DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) 232 to generate a continuous-time transmit signal 204 and a transmit filter 234 to generate a filtered, continuous-time transmit signal 205 that substantially comports with the communication channel 299. At a receiving end of the communication channel 299, continuous-time receive signal 206 is provided to an AFE (Analog Front End) 260 that includes a receive filter 262 (that generates a filtered, continuous-time receive signal 207) and an ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) 264 (that generates discrete-time receive signals 208). A metric generator 270 calculates metrics 209 (e.g., on either a symbol and/or bit basis) that are employed by a decoder 280 to make best estimates of the discrete-valued modulation symbols and information bits encoded therein 210.

Within each of the transmitter 297 and the receiver 298, any desired integration of various components, blocks, functional blocks, circuitries, etc. Therein may be implemented. For example, this diagram shows a processing module 280 a as including the encoder and symbol mapper 220 and all associated, corresponding components therein, and a processing module 280 is shown as including the metric generator 270 and the decoder 280 and all associated, corresponding components therein. Such processing modules 280 a and 280 b may be respective integrated circuits. Of course, other boundaries and groupings may alternatively be performed without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, all components within the transmitter 297 may be included within a first processing module or integrated circuit, and all components within the receiver 298 may be included within a second processing module or integrated circuit. Alternatively, any other combination of components within each of the transmitter 297 and the receiver 298 may be made in other embodiments.

As with the previous embodiment, such a communication system 200 may be employed for the communication of video data is communicated from one location, or subsystem, to another (e.g., from transmitter 297 to the receiver 298 via the communication channel 299).

Digital image and/or video processing of digital images and/or media (including the respective images within a digital video signal) may be performed by any of the various devices depicted below in FIG. 3A-3H to allow a user to view such digital images and/or video. These various devices do not include an exhaustive list of devices in which the image and/or video processing described herein may be effectuated, and it is noted that any generic digital image and/or video processing device may be implemented to perform the processing described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

FIG. 3A illustrates an embodiment of a computer 301. The computer 301 can be a desktop computer, or an enterprise storage devices such a server, of a host computer that is attached to a storage array such as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) array, storage router, edge router, storage switch and/or storage director. A user is able to view still digital images and/or video (e.g., a sequence of digital images) using the computer 301. Oftentimes, various image and/or video viewing programs and/or media player programs are included on a computer 301 to allow a user to view such images (including video).

FIG. 3B illustrates an embodiment of a laptop computer 302. Such a laptop computer 302 may be found and used in any of a wide variety of contexts. In recent years, with the ever-increasing processing capability and functionality found within laptop computers, they are being employed in many instances where previously higher-end and more capable desktop computers would be used. As with the computer 301, the laptop computer 302 may include various image viewing programs and/or media player programs to allow a user to view such images (including video).

FIG. 3C illustrates an embodiment of a high definition (HD) television 303. Many HD televisions 303 include an integrated tuner to allow the receipt, processing, and decoding of media content (e.g., television broadcast signals) thereon. Alternatively, sometimes an HD television 303 receives media content from another source such as a digital video disc (DVD) player, set top box (STB) that receives, processes, and decodes a cable and/or satellite television broadcast signal. Regardless of the particular implementation, the HD television 303 may be implemented to perform image and/or video processing as described herein. Generally speaking, an HD television 303 has capability to display HD media content and oftentimes is implemented having a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio.

FIG. 3D illustrates an embodiment of a standard definition (SD) television 304. Of course, an SD television 304 is somewhat analogous to an HD television 303, with at least one difference being that the SD television 304 does not include capability to display HD media content, and an SD television 304 oftentimes is implemented having a 4:3 full screen aspect ratio. Nonetheless, even an SD television 304 may be implemented to perform image and/or video processing as described herein.

FIG. 3E illustrates an embodiment of a handheld media unit 305. A handheld media unit 305 may operate to provide general storage or storage of image/video content information such as joint photographic experts group (JPEG) files, tagged image file format (TIFF), bitmap, motion picture experts group (MPEG) files, Windows Media (WMA/WMV) files, other types of video content such as MPEG4 files, etc. for playback to a user, and/or any other type of information that may be stored in a digital format. Historically, such handheld media units were primarily employed for storage and playback of audio media; however, such a handheld media unit 305 may be employed for storage and playback of virtual any media (e.g., audio media, video media, photographic media, etc.). Moreover, such a handheld media unit 305 may also include other functionality such as integrated communication circuitry for wired and wireless communications. Such a handheld media unit 305 may be implemented to perform image and/or video processing as described herein.

FIG. 3F illustrates an embodiment of a set top box (STB) 306. As mentioned above, sometimes a STB 306 may be implemented to receive, process, and decode a cable and/or satellite television broadcast signal to be provided to any appropriate display capable device such as SD television 304 and/or HD television 303. Such an STB 306 may operate independently or cooperatively with such a display capable device to perform image and/or video processing as described herein.

FIG. 3G illustrates an embodiment of a digital video disc (DVD) player 307. Such a DVD player may be a Blu-Ray DVD player, an HD capable DVD player, an SD capable DVD player, an up-sampling capable DVD player (e.g., from SD to HD, etc.) without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The DVD player may provide a signal to any appropriate display capable device such as SD television 304 and/or HD television 303. The DVD player 305 may be implemented to perform image and/or video processing as described herein.

FIG. 3H illustrates an embodiment of a generic digital image and/or video processing device 308. Again, as mentioned above, these various devices described above do not include an exhaustive list of devices in which the image and/or video processing described herein may be effectuated, and it is noted that any generic digital image and/or video processing device 308 may be implemented to perform the image and/or video processing described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6 are diagrams illustrating various embodiments 400 and 500, and 600, respectively, of video encoding architectures.

Referring to embodiment 400 of FIG. 4, as may be seen with respect to this diagram, an input video signal is received by a video encoder. In certain embodiments, the input video signal is composed of coding units (CUs) or macro-blocks (MBs). The size of such coding units or macro-blocks may be varied and can include a number of pixels typically arranged in a square shape. In one embodiment, such coding units or macro-blocks have a size of 16×16 pixels. However, it is generally noted that a macro-block may have any desired size such as N×N pixels, where N is an integer. Of course, some implementations may include non-square shaped coding units or macro-blocks, although square shaped coding units or macro-blocks are employed in a preferred embodiment.

The input video signal may generally be referred to as corresponding to raw frame (or picture) image data. For example, raw frame (or picture) image data may undergo processing to generate luma and chroma samples. In some embodiments, the set of luma samples in a macro-block is of one particular arrangement (e.g., 16×16), and set of the chroma samples is of a different particular arrangement (e.g., 8×8). In accordance with the embodiment depicted herein, a video encoder processes such samples on a block by block basis.

The input video signal then undergoes mode selection by which the input video signal selectively undergoes intra and/or inter-prediction processing. Generally speaking, the input video signal undergoes compression along a compression pathway. When operating with no feedback (e.g., in accordance with neither inter-prediction nor intra-prediction), the input video signal is provided via the compression pathway to undergo transform operations (e.g., in accordance with discrete cosine transform (DCT)). Of course, other transforms may be employed in alternative embodiments. In this mode of operation, the input video signal itself is that which is compressed. The compression pathway may take advantage of the lack of high frequency sensitivity of human eyes in performing the compression.

However, feedback may be employed along the compression pathway by selectively using inter- or intra-prediction video encoding. In accordance with a feedback or predictive mode of operation, the compression pathway operates on a (relatively low energy) residual (e.g., a difference) resulting from subtraction of a predicted value of a current macro-block from the current macro-block. Depending upon which form of prediction is employed in a given instance, a residual or difference between a current macro-block and a predicted value of that macro-block based on at least a portion of that same frame (or picture) or on at least a portion of at least one other frame (or picture) is generated.

The resulting modified video signal then undergoes transform operations along the compression pathway. In one embodiment, a discrete cosine transform (DCT) operates on a set of video samples (e.g., luma, chroma, residual, etc.) to compute respective coefficient values for each of a predetermined number of basis patterns. For example, one embodiment includes 64 basis functions (e.g., such as for an 8×8 sample). Generally speaking, different embodiments may employ different numbers of basis functions (e.g., different transforms). Any combination of those respective basis functions, including appropriate and selective weighting thereof, may be used to represent a given set of video samples. Additional details related to various ways of performing transform operations are described in the technical literature associated with video encoding including those standards/draft standards that have been incorporated by reference as indicated above. The output from the transform processing includes such respective coefficient values. This output is provided to a quantizer.

Generally, most image blocks will typically yield coefficients (e.g., DCT coefficients in an embodiment operating in accordance with discrete cosine transform (DCT)) such that the most relevant DCT coefficients are of lower frequencies. Because of this and of the human eyes' relatively poor sensitivity to high frequency visual effects, a quantizer may be operable to convert most of the less relevant coefficients to a value of zero. That is to say, those coefficients whose relative contribution is below some predetermined value (e.g., some threshold) may be eliminated in accordance with the quantization process. A quantizer may also be operable to convert the significant coefficients into values that can be coded more efficiently than those that result from the transform process. For example, the quantization process may operate by dividing each respective coefficient by an integer value and discarding any remainder. Such a process, when operating on typical coding units or macro-blocks, typically yields a relatively low number of non-zero coefficients which are then delivered to an entropy encoder for lossless encoding and for use in accordance with a feedback path which may select intra-prediction and/or inter-prediction processing in accordance with video encoding.

An entropy encoder operates in accordance with a lossless compression encoding process. In comparison, the quantization operations are generally lossy. The entropy encoding process operates on the coefficients provided from the quantization process. Those coefficients may represent various characteristics (e.g., luma, chroma, residual, etc.). Various types of encoding may be employed by an entropy encoder. For example, context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) and/or context-adaptive variable-length coding (CAVLC) may be performed by the entropy encoder. For example, in accordance with at least one part of an entropy coding scheme, the data is converted to a (run, level) pairing (e.g., data 14, 3, 0, 4, 0, 0, −3 would be converted to the respective (run, level) pairs of (0, 14), (0, 3), (1, 4), (2,−3)). In advance, a table may be prepared that assigns variable length codes for value pairs, such that relatively shorter length codes are assigned to relatively common value pairs, and relatively longer length codes are assigned for relatively less common value pairs.

As the reader will understand, the operations of inverse quantization and inverse transform correspond to those of quantization and transform, respectively. For example, in an embodiment in which a DCT is employed within the transform operations, then an inverse DCT (IDCT) is that employed within the inverse transform operations.

A picture buffer, alternatively referred to as a digital picture buffer or a DPB, receives the signal from the IDCT module; the picture buffer is operative to store the current frame (or picture) and/or one or more other frames (or pictures) such as may be used in accordance with intra-prediction and/or inter-prediction operations as may be performed in accordance with video encoding. It is noted that in accordance with intra-prediction, a relatively small amount of storage may be sufficient, in that, it may not be necessary to store the current frame (or picture) or any other frame (or picture) within the frame (or picture) sequence. Such stored information may be employed for performing motion compensation and/or motion estimation in the case of performing inter-prediction in accordance with video encoding.

In one possible embodiment, for motion estimation, a respective set of luma samples (e.g., 16×16) from a current frame (or picture) are compared to respective buffered counterparts in other frames (or pictures) within the frame (or picture) sequence (e.g., in accordance with inter-prediction). In one possible implementation, a closest matching area is located (e.g., prediction reference) and a vector offset (e.g., motion vector) is produced. In a single frame (or picture), a number of motion vectors may be found and not all will necessarily point in the same direction. One or more operations as performed in accordance with motion estimation are operative to generate one or more motion vectors.

Motion compensation is operative to employ one or more motion vectors as may be generated in accordance with motion estimation. A prediction reference set of samples is identified and delivered for subtraction from the original input video signal in an effort hopefully to yield a relatively (e.g., ideally, much) lower energy residual. If such operations do not result in a yielded lower energy residual, motion compensation need not necessarily be performed and the transform operations may merely operate on the original input video signal instead of on a residual (e.g., in accordance with an operational mode in which the input video signal is provided straight through to the transform operation, such that neither intra-prediction nor inter-prediction are performed), or intra-prediction may be utilized and transform operations performed on the residual resulting from intra-prediction. Also, if the motion estimation and/or motion compensation operations are successful, the motion vector may also be sent to the entropy encoder along with the corresponding residual's coefficients for use in undergoing lossless entropy encoding.

The output from the overall video encoding operation is an output bit stream. It is noted that such an output bit stream may of course undergo certain processing in accordance with generating a continuous time signal which may be transmitted via a communication channel. For example, certain embodiments operate within wireless communication systems. In such an instance, an output bitstream may undergo appropriate digital to analog conversion, frequency conversion, scaling, filtering, modulation, symbol mapping, and/or any other operations within a wireless communication device that operate to generate a continuous time signal capable of being transmitted via a communication channel, etc.

Referring to embodiment 500 of FIG. 5, as may be seen with respect to this diagram, an input video signal is received by a video encoder. In certain embodiments, the input video signal is composed of coding units or macro-blocks (and/or may be partitioned into coding units (CUs)). The size of such coding units or macro-blocks may be varied and can include a number of pixels typically arranged in a square shape. In one embodiment, such coding units or macro-blocks have a size of 16×16 pixels. However, it is generally noted that a macro-block may have any desired size such as N×N pixels, where N is an integer. Of course, some implementations may include non-square shaped coding units or macro-blocks, although square shaped coding units or macro-blocks are employed in a preferred embodiment.

The input video signal may generally be referred to as corresponding to raw frame (or picture) image data. For example, raw frame (or picture) image data may undergo processing to generate luma and chroma samples. In some embodiments, the set of luma samples in a macro-block is of one particular arrangement (e.g., 16×16), and set of the chroma samples is of a different particular arrangement (e.g., 8×8). In accordance with the embodiment depicted herein, a video encoder processes such samples on a block by block basis.

The input video signal then undergoes mode selection by which the input video signal selectively undergoes intra and/or inter-prediction processing. Generally speaking, the input video signal undergoes compression along a compression pathway. When operating with no feedback (e.g., in accordance with neither inter-prediction nor intra-prediction), the input video signal is provided via the compression pathway to undergo transform operations (e.g., in accordance with discrete cosine transform (DCT)). Of course, other transforms may be employed in alternative embodiments. In this mode of operation, the input video signal itself is that which is compressed. The compression pathway may take advantage of the lack of high frequency sensitivity of human eyes in performing the compression.

However, feedback may be employed along the compression pathway by selectively using inter- or intra-prediction video encoding. In accordance with a feedback or predictive mode of operation, the compression pathway operates on a (relatively low energy) residual (e.g., a difference) resulting from subtraction of a predicted value of a current macro-block from the current macro-block. Depending upon which form of prediction is employed in a given instance, a residual or difference between a current macro-block and a predicted value of that macro-block based on at least a portion of that same frame (or picture) or on at least a portion of at least one other frame (or picture) is generated.

The resulting modified video signal then undergoes transform operations along the compression pathway. In one embodiment, a discrete cosine transform (DCT) operates on a set of video samples (e.g., luma, chroma, residual, etc.) to compute respective coefficient values for each of a predetermined number of basis patterns. For example, one embodiment includes 64 basis functions (e.g., such as for an 8×8 sample). Generally speaking, different embodiments may employ different numbers of basis functions (e.g., different transforms). Any combination of those respective basis functions, including appropriate and selective weighting thereof, may be used to represent a given set of video samples. Additional details related to various ways of performing transform operations are described in the technical literature associated with video encoding including those standards/draft standards that have been incorporated by reference as indicated above. The output from the transform processing includes such respective coefficient values. This output is provided to a quantizer.

Generally, most image blocks will typically yield coefficients (e.g., DCT coefficients in an embodiment operating in accordance with discrete cosine transform (DCT)) such that the most relevant DCT coefficients are of lower frequencies. Because of this and of the human eyes' relatively poor sensitivity to high frequency visual effects, a quantizer may be operable to convert most of the less relevant coefficients to a value of zero. That is to say, those coefficients whose relative contribution is below some predetermined value (e.g., some threshold) may be eliminated in accordance with the quantization process. A quantizer may also be operable to convert the significant coefficients into values that can be coded more efficiently than those that result from the transform process. For example, the quantization process may operate by dividing each respective coefficient by an integer value and discarding any remainder. Such a process, when operating on typical coding units or macro-blocks, typically yields a relatively low number of non-zero coefficients which are then delivered to an entropy encoder for lossless encoding and for use in accordance with a feedback path which may select intra-prediction and/or inter-prediction processing in accordance with video encoding.

An entropy encoder operates in accordance with a lossless compression encoding process. In comparison, the quantization operations are generally lossy. The entropy encoding process operates on the coefficients provided from the quantization process. Those coefficients may represent various characteristics (e.g., luma, chroma, residual, etc.). Various types of encoding may be employed by an entropy encoder. For example, context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) and/or context-adaptive variable-length coding (CAVLC) may be performed by the entropy encoder. For example, in accordance with at least one part of an entropy coding scheme, the data is converted to a (run, level) pairing (e.g., data 14, 3, 0, 4, 0, 0, −3 would be converted to the respective (run, level) pairs of (0, 14), (0, 3), (1, 4), (2,−3)). In advance, a table may be prepared that assigns variable length codes for value pairs, such that relatively shorter length codes are assigned to relatively common value pairs, and relatively longer length codes are assigned for relatively less common value pairs.

As the reader will understand, the operations of inverse quantization and inverse transform correspond to those of quantization and transform, respectively. For example, in an embodiment in which a DCT is employed within the transform operations, then an inverse DCT (IDCT) is that employed within the inverse transform operations.

An adaptive loop filter (ALF) is implemented to process the output from the inverse transform block. Such an adaptive loop filter (ALF) is applied to the decoded picture before it is stored in a picture buffer (sometimes referred to as a DPB, digital picture buffer). The adaptive loop filter (ALF) is implemented to reduce coding noise of the decoded picture, and the filtering thereof may be selectively applied on a slice by slice basis, respectively, for luminance and chrominance whether or not the adaptive loop filter (ALF) is applied either at slice level or at block level. Two-dimensional 2-D finite impulse response (FIR) filtering may be used in application of the adaptive loop filter (ALF). The coefficients of the filters may be designed slice by slice at the encoder, and such information is then signaled to the decoder (e.g., signaled from a transmitter communication device including a video encoder [alternatively referred to as encoder] to a receiver communication device including a video decoder [alternatively referred to as decoder]).

One embodiment operates by generating the coefficients in accordance with Wiener filtering design. In addition, it may be applied on a block by block based at the encoder whether the filtering is performed and such a decision is then signaled to the decoder (e.g., signaled from a transmitter communication device including a video encoder [alternatively referred to as encoder] to a receiver communication device including a video decoder [alternatively referred to as decoder]) based on quadtree structure, where the block size is decided according to the rate-distortion optimization. It is noted that the implementation of using such 2-D filtering may introduce a degree of complexity in accordance with both encoding and decoding. For example, by using 2-D filtering in accordance and implementation of an adaptive loop filter (ALF), there may be some increasing complexity within encoder implemented within the transmitter communication device as well as within a decoder implemented within a receiver communication device.

In certain optional embodiments, the output from the de-blocking filter is provided to one or more other in-loop filters (e.g., implemented in accordance with adaptive loop filter (ALF), sample adaptive offset (SAO) filter, and/or any other filter type) implemented to process the output from the inverse transform block. For example, such an ALF is applied to the decoded picture before it is stored in a picture buffer (again, sometimes alternatively referred to as a DPB, digital picture buffer). Such an ALF is implemented to reduce coding noise of the decoded picture, and the filtering thereof may be selectively applied on a slice by slice basis, respectively, for luminance and chrominance whether or not such an ALF is applied either at slice level or at block level. Two-dimensional 2-D finite impulse response (FIR) filtering may be used in application of such an ALF. The coefficients of the filters may be designed slice by slice at the encoder, and such information is then signaled to the decoder (e.g., signaled from a transmitter communication device including a video encoder [alternatively referred to as encoder] to a receiver communication device including a video decoder [alternatively referred to as decoder]).

One embodiment is operative to generate the coefficients in accordance with Wiener filtering design. In addition, it may be applied on a block by block based at the encoder whether the filtering is performed and such a decision is then signaled to the decoder (e.g., signaled from a transmitter communication device including a video encoder [alternatively referred to as encoder] to a receiver communication device including a video decoder [alternatively referred to as decoder]) based on quadtree structure, where the block size is decided according to the rate-distortion optimization. It is noted that the implementation of using such 2-D filtering may introduce a degree of complexity in accordance with both encoding and decoding. For example, by using 2-D filtering in accordance and implementation of an ALF, there may be some increasing complexity within encoder implemented within the transmitter communication device as well as within a decoder implemented within a receiver communication device.

As mentioned with respect to other embodiments, the use of an ALF can provide any of a number of improvements in accordance with such video processing, including an improvement on the objective quality measure by the peak to signal noise ratio (PSNR) that comes from performing random quantization noise removal. In addition, the subjective quality of a subsequently encoded video signal may be achieved from illumination compensation, which may be introduced in accordance with performing offset processing and scaling processing (e.g., in accordance with applying a gain) in accordance with ALF processing.

With respect to one type of an in-loop filter, the use of an adaptive loop filter (ALF) can provide any of a number of improvements in accordance with such video processing, including an improvement on the objective quality measure by the peak to signal noise ratio (PSNR) that comes from performing random quantization noise removal. In addition, the subjective quality of a subsequently encoded video signal may be achieved from illumination compensation, which may be introduced in accordance with performing offset processing and scaling processing (e.g., in accordance with applying a gain) in accordance with adaptive loop filter (ALF) processing.

Receiving the signal output from the ALF is a picture buffer, alternatively referred to as a digital picture buffer or a DPB; the picture buffer is operative to store the current frame (or picture) and/or one or more other frames (or pictures) such as may be used in accordance with intra-prediction and/or inter-prediction operations as may be performed in accordance with video encoding. It is noted that in accordance with intra-prediction, a relatively small amount of storage may be sufficient, in that, it may not be necessary to store the current frame (or picture) or any other frame (or picture) within the frame (or picture) sequence. Such stored information may be employed for performing motion compensation and/or motion estimation in the case of performing inter-prediction in accordance with video encoding.

In one possible embodiment, for motion estimation, a respective set of luma samples (e.g., 16×16) from a current frame (or picture) are compared to respective buffered counterparts in other frames (or pictures) within the frame (or picture) sequence (e.g., in accordance with inter-prediction). In one possible implementation, a closest matching area is located (e.g., prediction reference) and a vector offset (e.g., motion vector) is produced. In a single frame (or picture), a number of motion vectors may be found and not all will necessarily point in the same direction. One or more operations as performed in accordance with motion estimation are operative to generate one or more motion vectors.

Motion compensation is operative to employ one or more motion vectors as may be generated in accordance with motion estimation. A prediction reference set of samples is identified and delivered for subtraction from the original input video signal in an effort hopefully to yield a relatively (e.g., ideally, much) lower energy residual. If such operations do not result in a yielded lower energy residual, motion compensation need not necessarily be performed and the transform operations may merely operate on the original input video signal instead of on a residual (e.g., in accordance with an operational mode in which the input video signal is provided straight through to the transform operation, such that neither intra-prediction nor inter-prediction are performed), or intra-prediction may be utilized and transform operations performed on the residual resulting from intra-prediction. Also, if the motion estimation and/or motion compensation operations are successful, the motion vector may also be sent to the entropy encoder along with the corresponding residual's coefficients for use in undergoing lossless entropy encoding.

The output from the overall video encoding operation is an output bit stream. It is noted that such an output bit stream may of course undergo certain processing in accordance with generating a continuous time signal which may be transmitted via a communication channel. For example, certain embodiments operate within wireless communication systems. In such an instance, an output bitstream may undergo appropriate digital to analog conversion, frequency conversion, scaling, filtering, modulation, symbol mapping, and/or any other operations within a wireless communication device that operate to generate a continuous time signal capable of being transmitted via a communication channel, etc.

Referring to embodiment 600 of FIG. 6, with respect to this diagram depicting an alternative embodiment of a video encoder, such a video encoder carries out prediction, transform, and encoding processes to produce a compressed output bit stream. Such a video encoder may operate in accordance with and be compliant with one or more video encoding protocols, standards, and/or recommended practices such as ISO/IEC 14496-10—MPEG-4 Part 10, AVC (Advanced Video Coding), alternatively referred to as H.264/MPEG-4 Part 10 or AVC (Advanced Video Coding), ITU H.264/MPEG4-AVC.

It is noted that a corresponding video decoder, such as located within a device at another end of a communication channel, is operative to perform the complementary processes of decoding, inverse transform, and reconstruction to produce a respective decoded video sequence that is (ideally) representative of the input video signal.

As may be seen with respect to this diagram, alternative arrangements and architectures may be employed for effectuating video encoding. Generally speaking, an encoder processes an input video signal (e.g., typically composed in units of coding units or macro-blocks, often times being square in shape and including N x N pixels therein). The video encoding determines a prediction of the current macro-block based on previously coded data. That previously coded data may come from the current frame (or picture) itself (e.g., such as in accordance with intra-prediction) or from one or more other frames (or pictures) that have already been coded (e.g., such as in accordance with inter-prediction). The video encoder subtracts the prediction of the current macro-block to form a residual.

Generally speaking, intra-prediction is operative to employ block sizes of one or more particular sizes (e.g., 16×16, 8×8, or 4×4) to predict a current macro-block from surrounding, previously coded pixels within the same frame (or picture). Generally speaking, inter-prediction is operative to employ a range of block sizes (e.g., 16×16 down to 4×4) to predict pixels in the current frame (or picture) from regions that are selected from within one or more previously coded frames (or pictures).

With respect to the transform and quantization operations, a block of residual samples may undergo transformation using a particular transform (e.g., 4×4 or 8×8). One possible embodiment of such a transform operates in accordance with discrete cosine transform (DCT). The transform operation outputs a group of coefficients such that each respective coefficient corresponds to a respective weighting value of one or more basis functions associated with a transform. After undergoing transformation, a block of transform coefficients is quantized (e.g., each respective coefficient may be divided by an integer value and any associated remainder may be discarded, or they may be multiplied by an integer value). The quantization process is generally inherently lossy, and it can reduce the precision of the transform coefficients according to a quantization parameter (QP). Typically, many of the coefficients associated with a given macro-block are zero, and only some nonzero coefficients remain. Generally, a relatively high QP setting is operative to result in a greater proportion of zero-valued coefficients and smaller magnitudes of non-zero coefficients, resulting in relatively high compression (e.g., relatively lower coded bit rate) at the expense of relatively poorly decoded image quality; a relatively low QP setting is operative to allow more nonzero coefficients to remain after quantization and larger magnitudes of non-zero coefficients, resulting in relatively lower compression (e.g., relatively higher coded bit rate) with relatively better decoded image quality.

The video encoding process produces a number of values that are encoded to form the compressed bit stream. Examples of such values include the quantized transform coefficients, information to be employed by a decoder to re-create the appropriate prediction, information regarding the structure of the compressed data and compression tools employed during encoding, information regarding a complete video sequence, etc. Such values and/or parameters (e.g., syntax elements) may undergo encoding within an entropy encoder operating in accordance with CABAC, CAVLC, or some other entropy coding scheme, to produce an output bit stream that may be stored, transmitted (e.g., after undergoing appropriate processing to generate a continuous time signal that comports with a communication channel), etc.

In an embodiment operating using a feedback path, the output of the transform and quantization undergoes inverse quantization and inverse transform. One or both of intra-prediction and inter-prediction may be performed in accordance with video encoding. Also, motion compensation and/or motion estimation may be performed in accordance with such video encoding.

The signal path output from the inverse quantization and inverse transform (e.g., IDCT) block, which is provided to the intra-prediction block, is also provided to a de-blocking filter. The output from the de-blocking filter is provided to one or more other in-loop filters (e.g., implemented in accordance with adaptive loop filter (ALF), sample adaptive offset (SAO) filter, and/or any other filter type) implemented to process the output from the inverse transform block. For example, in one possible embodiment, an ALF is applied to the decoded picture before it is stored in a picture buffer (again, sometimes alternatively referred to as a DPB, digital picture buffer). The ALF is implemented to reduce coding noise of the decoded picture, and the filtering thereof may be selectively applied on a slice by slice basis, respectively, for luminance and chrominance whether or not the ALF is applied either at slice level or at block level. Two-dimensional 2-D finite impulse response (FIR) filtering may be used in application of the ALF. The coefficients of the filters may be designed slice by slice at the encoder, and such information is then signaled to the decoder (e.g., signaled from a transmitter communication device including a video encoder [alternatively referred to as encoder] to a receiver communication device including a video decoder [alternatively referred to as decoder]).

One embodiment generated the coefficients in accordance with Wiener filtering design. In addition, it may be applied on a block by block based at the encoder whether the filtering is performed and such a decision is then signaled to the decoder (e.g., signaled from a transmitter communication device including a video encoder [alternatively referred to as encoder] to a receiver communication device including a video decoder [alternatively referred to as decoder]) based on quadtree structure, where the block size is decided according to the rate-distortion optimization. It is noted that the implementation of using such 2-D filtering may introduce a degree of complexity in accordance with both encoding and decoding. For example, by using 2-D filtering in accordance and implementation of an ALF, there may be some increasing complexity within encoder implemented within the transmitter communication device as well as within a decoder implemented within a receiver communication device.

As mentioned with respect to other embodiments, the use of an ALF can provide any of a number of improvements in accordance with such video processing, including an improvement on the objective quality measure by the peak to signal noise ratio (PSNR) that comes from performing random quantization noise removal. In addition, the subjective quality of a subsequently encoded video signal may be achieved from illumination compensation, which may be introduced in accordance with performing offset processing and scaling processing (e.g., in accordance with applying a gain) in accordance with ALF processing.

With respect to any video encoder architecture implemented to generate an output bitstream, it is noted that such architectures may be implemented within any of a variety of communication devices. The output bitstream may undergo additional processing including error correction code (ECC), forward error correction (FEC), etc. thereby generating a modified output bitstream having additional redundancy deal therein. Also, as may be understood with respect to such a digital signal, it may undergo any appropriate processing in accordance with generating a continuous time signal suitable for or appropriate for transmission via a communication channel That is to say, such a video encoder architecture may be of limited within a communication device operative to perform transmission of one or more signals via one or more communication channels. Additional processing may be made on an output bitstream generated by such a video encoder architecture thereby generating a continuous time signal that may be launched into a communication channel.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment 700 of intra-prediction processing. As can be seen with respect to this diagram, a current block of video data (e.g., often times being square in shape and including generally N×N pixels) undergoes processing to estimate the respective pixels therein. Previously coded pixels located above and to the left of the current block are employed in accordance with such intra-prediction. From certain perspectives, an intra-prediction direction may be viewed as corresponding to a vector extending from a current pixel to a reference pixel located above or to the left of the current pixel. Details of intra-prediction as applied to coding in accordance with H.264/AVC are specified within the corresponding standard (e.g., International Telecommunication Union, ITU-T, TELECOMMUNICATION STANDARDIZATION SECTOR OF ITU, H.264 (March 2010), SERIES H: AUDIOVISUAL AND MULTIMEDIA SYSTEMS, Infrastructure of audiovisual services—Coding of moving video, Advanced video coding for generic audiovisual services, Recommendation ITU-T H.264, also alternatively referred to as International Telecomm ISO/IEC 14496-10—MPEG-4 Part 10, AVC (Advanced Video Coding), H.264/MPEG-4 Part 10 or AVC (Advanced Video Coding), ITU H.264/MPEG4-AVC, or equivalent) that is incorporated by reference above.

The residual, which is the difference between the current pixel and the reference or prediction pixel, is that which gets encoded. As can be seen with respect to this diagram, intra-prediction operates using pixels within a common frame (or picture). It is of course noted that a given pixel may have different respective components associated therewith, and there may be different respective sets of samples for each respective component.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment 800 of inter-prediction processing. In contradistinction to intra-prediction, inter-prediction is operative to identify a motion vector (e.g., an inter-prediction direction) based on a current set of pixels within a current frame (or picture) and one or more sets of reference or prediction pixels located within one or more other frames (or pictures) within a frame (or picture) sequence. As can be seen, the motion vector extends from the current frame (or picture) to another frame (or picture) within the frame (or picture) sequence. Inter-prediction may utilize sub-pixel interpolation, such that a prediction pixel value corresponds to a function of a plurality of pixels in a reference frame or picture.

A residual may be calculated in accordance with inter-prediction processing, though such a residual is different from the residual calculated in accordance with intra-prediction processing. In accordance with inter-prediction processing, the residual at each pixel again corresponds to the difference between a current pixel and a predicted pixel value. However, in accordance with inter-prediction processing, the current pixel and the reference or prediction pixel are not located within the same frame (or picture). While this diagram shows inter-prediction as being employed with respect to one or more previous frames or pictures, it is also noted that alternative embodiments may operate using references corresponding to frames before and/or after a current frame. For example, in accordance with appropriate buffering and/or memory management, a number of frames may be stored. When operating on a given frame, references may be generated from other frames that precede and/or follow that given frame.

Coupled with the CU, a basic unit may be employed for the prediction partition mode, namely, the prediction unit, or PU. It is also noted that the PU is defined only for the last depth CU, and its respective size is limited to that of the CU.

FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are diagrams illustrating various embodiments 900 and 1000, respectively, of video decoding architectures.

Generally speaking, such video decoding architectures operate on an input bitstream. It is of course noted that such an input bitstream may be generated from a signal that is received by a communication device from a communication channel. Various operations may be performed on a continuous time signal received from the communication channel, including digital sampling, demodulation, scaling, filtering, etc. such as may be appropriate in accordance with generating the input bitstream. Moreover, certain embodiments, in which one or more types of error correction code (ECC), forward error correction (FEC), etc. may be implemented, may perform appropriate decoding in accordance with such ECC, FEC, etc. thereby generating the input bitstream. That is to say, in certain embodiments in which additional redundancy may have been made in accordance with generating a corresponding output bitstream (e.g., such as may be launched from a transmitter communication device or from the transmitter portion of a transceiver communication device), appropriate processing may be performed in accordance with generating the input bitstream. Overall, such a video decoding architectures and lamented to process the input bitstream thereby generating an output video signal corresponding to the original input video signal, as closely as possible and perfectly in an ideal case, for use in being output to one or more video display capable devices.

Referring to the embodiment 900 of FIG. 9, generally speaking, a decoder such as an entropy decoder (e.g., which may be implemented in accordance with CABAC, CAVLC, etc.) processes the input bitstream in accordance with performing the complementary process of encoding as performed within a video encoder architecture. The input bitstream may be viewed as being, as closely as possible and perfectly in an ideal case, the compressed output bitstream generated by a video encoder architecture. Of course, in a real-life application, it is possible that some errors may have been incurred in a signal transmitted via one or more communication links. The entropy decoder processes the input bitstream and extracts the appropriate coefficients, such as the DCT coefficients (e.g., such as representing chroma, luma, etc. information) and provides such coefficients to an inverse quantization and inverse transform block. In the event that a DCT transform is employed, the inverse quantization and inverse transform block may be implemented to perform an inverse DCT (IDCT) operation. Subsequently, A/D blocking filter is implemented to generate the respective frames and/or pictures corresponding to an output video signal. These frames and/or pictures may be provided into a picture buffer, or a digital picture buffer (DPB) for use in performing other operations including motion compensation. Generally speaking, such motion compensation operations may be viewed as corresponding to inter-prediction associated with video encoding. Also, intra-prediction may also be performed on the signal output from the inverse quantization and inverse transform block. Analogously as with respect to video encoding, such a video decoder architecture may be implemented to perform mode selection between performing it neither intra-prediction nor inter-prediction, inter-prediction, or intra-prediction in accordance with decoding an input bitstream thereby generating an output video signal.

Referring to the embodiment 1000 of FIG. 10, in certain optional embodiments, one or more in-loop filters (e.g., implemented in accordance with adaptive loop filter (ALF), sample adaptive offset (SAO) filter, and/or any other filter type) such as may be implemented in accordance with video encoding as employed to generate an output bitstream, a corresponding one or more in-loop filters may be implemented within a video decoder architecture. In one embodiment, an appropriate implementation of one or more such in-loop filters is after the de-blocking filter.

FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment 1100 of intra-prediction direction line(s). In accordance with performing intra-prediction, as may be understood with respect to other diagrams and/or embodiments herein, a current pixel is processed and operated upon based upon one or more reference pixels. The angular direction extending from the current pixel to a reference pixel is one particular parameter useful in accordance with intra-prediction. The different respective intra-prediction direction lines may be viewed as different respective angular modes or different respective intra-prediction angular modes. In accordance with video processing, it may be understood that certain operations are performed successively with respect others. For example, a first operation is sometimes necessarily performed before a second operation may be performed, and the second operation is sometimes necessarily performed before third operation to be performed, and so on. However, various embodiments herein envision performing parallel processing of certain video coding operations. For example, with respect to performing intra-prediction, effectively fast preliminary calculation of such intra-prediction angular mode values may be useful in accordance with video processing.

FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment 1200 of intra-prediction angular modes. This diagram shows pictorially, in table format, the relationships between the respective cross points associated with various reference pixels and a current pixel. As may be understood, because of the discrete and digital implementation of a digital image, the angular directions extending from the current pixel to the various reference pixels are not necessarily uniformly spaced, as would be expected with respect to the ideal angle of directions. As may be understood, calculating a large number of values associated with each of the respective intra-prediction angular modes may be computationally intensive and time-consuming in certain situations. That is to say, given a relatively large number of possible intra-prediction angular modes, the calculations associated with those respective intra-prediction angular modes may prove to be a bottleneck and introduce some delay, latency, etc. in accordance with the video coding operations. Moreover, in certain situations, only a relatively small subset (e.g., sometimes as few as one) of the respective intra-prediction angular modes is necessarily employed for use in calculating or processing a current pixel.

FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of adaptive and/or selective operational mode selection based at least on raw data (e.g., an input video signal). Generally speaking, a video processing device (e.g., such as in accordance with a various video encoding architecture, such as with respect to FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and/or FIG. 6, and/or others) may operate in accordance with any of a number of different respective operational modes. As may be understood with respect to this diagram, the selection regarding which operational mode is to be employed by such a video processing device may be made using raw data such as that which is associated with an input video signal. With respect to this diagram as well as others, it is noted that such raw data may generally be referred to as a video signal in raw form before undergoing any video processing (e.g., such as in accordance with video encoding). Also, it is noted that such raw data may also be derived from decoding processing of a received video signal such as within a transcoder device and/or a middling device within a given communication network. For example, they received video signal may undergo video decoding processing thereby generating a video signal that may be viewed as being raw data with respect to one or more subsequent video processing blocks, modules, functional blocks, and/or circuitries, etc. further down the video processing chain.

Referring again to this diagram, such raw data, such as that which is associated with a video signal being in raw form before undergoing any video processing, is at least one of the considerations by which operational mode operation of one or more of the respective processing blocks, modules, functional blocks, and/or circuitries, etc. within a given video processing device may be driven. Various embodiments with respect to various video encoding architectures are described herein, and operational mode selection associated with any one or more of the respective and individual processing blocks, modules, functional blocks, and/or circuitries, etc. within any such video encoding architecture and/or any equivalent video encoding architecture may be direct it or driven by such raw data (e.g., associated with a video signal being in raw form before undergoing any video processing).

Also, with respect to certain operations performed in accordance with video encoding, some operations are made based upon decoded pixels. For example, certain operations in accordance with video encoding inherently also involved one or more video decoding operations (e.g., inverse quantization and inverse transform) to provide information for use by one of the other respective operations. From at least one perspective and with respect to at least one embodiment, employing raw data (e.g., associated with a video signal being in raw form before undergoing any video processing) may generally be viewed as using raw pixels (e.g., before they have undergone decoding) as opposed to using decoded pixels.

FIG. 14 illustrates an embodiment 1400 of parameter set selection based at least on raw data (e.g., an input video signal) (e.g., such as one or more parameters for an adaptive loop filter (ALF), sample adaptive offset (SAO) filter, etc.). As may be understood with respect to various embodiments, diagrams, etc. herein, various other in loop filters made optionally be implemented within various architectures. For example, specific examples of potential in loop filters may include an ALF or an SAO filter. As may be understood, these and other types of filters may be configurable and adaptive such that any one or more respective operational parameters associated with such filter operation may be modified. For example, analogously as operational mode selection may be based on and/or driven by raw data (e.g., associated with a video signal being in raw form before undergoing any video processing), selection of any one or more additional parameters and/or settings of one or more respective processing blocks, modules, functional blocks, and/or circuitries, etc. within any such video encoding architecture and/or any equivalent video encoding architecture may also be based on and/or driven by such raw data (e.g., associated with a video signal being in raw form before undergoing any video processing).

FIG. 15 illustrates an embodiment 1500 of intra-prediction or inter-prediction mode (or neither) selection based at least on raw data (e.g., an input video signal). As may be understood with respect to various video encoding architectures, such as with respect to FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and/or FIG. 6, and/or others, determination of whether or not perform intra-prediction is often times based upon the output of the transforming quantization as well as the inverse quantization an inverse transform operations. However, as can be seen with respect to one embodiment shown in this diagram, the determination of whether or not to perform intra-prediction, inter-prediction, or neither intra-prediction nor inter-prediction may be made based upon raw data such as that which is associated with an input video signal. For example, the particular parameter driving the selection between these respective video encoding modes (e.g., intra-prediction, inter-prediction, or neither) may be based upon a preliminary decision associated with analysis of such raw data before having undergone one or more of the various operations associated with video coding.

FIG. 16 illustrates an embodiment 1600 of adaptive and/or selective determination of intra-prediction angular mode based at least on raw data (e.g., an input video signal). With respect to the embodiment shown in this diagram, the selection of the appropriate intra-prediction angular mode may be made based upon raw data such as that which is associated with an input video signal. That is to say, any one or more respective intra-prediction angular modes may be selected based upon analysis of such raw data before having undergone one or more of the various operations associated with video coding.

FIG. 17 illustrates an embodiment 1700 of modified intra-prediction. This diagram shows an approximate intra-prediction mode selection being performed based upon raw data or an input video signal. While this raw data or input video signal is provided to an intra-prediction mode decision block operative to perform an approximate or preliminary decision with respect to intra-prediction, that same broad data or input video signal may also be provided down a normal processing chain for performing one or more appropriate operations in accordance with video coding. Then, when intra-prediction or the decision of whether or not to perform intra-prediction is subsequently made in accordance with the normal processing chain, a more accurate decision with respect to intra-prediction may be made. However, in the meantime, a number of preliminary operations associated with intra-prediction may have been performed as the rotted or input video signal is being provided down the normal processing chain/operations.

Generally speaking, such operations may be viewed as being performed in accordance with a first stage in a second stage. Operations associate with such a first stage may generally be viewed as being relatively more approximate and/or preliminary with respect to those operations associated with such a second stage which may generally be viewed as being relatively more fine, refined, secondary, and/or subsequent with respect to those operations of the first stage. For example, in accordance with relatively more coarse, approximate, preliminary, etc. operations associated with the first stage, as few as one or a subset of angular modes may be selected (e.g., such as considering every Nth angular mode for a relatively coarse sampling among all of the possible angular modes), and then with respect to an embodiment in which a subset of angular modes is preliminarily selected in accordance with operations at first stage, then refinement among some of those selected angular modes (e.g., refinement between two of the most acceptable or viable angular modes within the subset) may be made. Also, such operations in association with the first stage may generally be viewed as being relatively close to an exact or final solution, yet not perfectly accurate. Operations in association with the second stage may generally be viewed as being relatively closer to the exact or final solution, and ideally, perfectly accurate.

For example, in certain embodiments, processing with respect to each or more than one of the possible intra-prediction modes are performed simultaneously, in parallel with one another, etc. as the raw data or input video signal is also undergoing processing via the normal processing chain/operations. Then, when intra-prediction is encountered in accordance with the normal processing chain/operations, the results associated with respect to all or more than one of the possible intra-prediction modes are available for selection in accordance with making a more accurate and finalized intra-prediction decision. From another perspective, the decision-making associated with intra-prediction may be viewed as being partitioned into a coarse decision and a subsequent finer decision. The coarse decision may be viewed as being a preliminary decision, and the subsequent finer decision may be viewed as being a more accurate and final decision.

Referring again to the diagram, the output from the more accurate intra-prediction block is provided to a transforming quantization block (e.g., which may of course be separately implemented as a transform block and a quantization block) whose output is provided to an inverse quantization an inverse transform block (e.g., which may of course be separately implemented as an inverse quantization block and an inverse transform block) whose output is then fed back to the more accurate intra-prediction block. As may be understood with respect to this diagram, verification of the appropriate intra-prediction decision may be made based upon such feedback provided as shown. For example, by utilizing reconstructed information associated with the video signal, verification may be made as to whether or not the appropriate diction decision was made.

As may be understood with respect to this diagram and others associated with making intra-prediction decisions associated with raw data or an input video signal, instead of waiting for certain encoder modules to complete the respective processing to yield a desired output, Rod data may be operated on in advance. For example, such raw data analysis may be used to direct processing of one or more of the respective modules in accordance with video coding including adjusting or adaptively modifying one or more characteristics of those respective modules. As can be seen, by making such decisions, even preliminary decisions, based upon analysis of the raw data, operations may be performed simultaneously, in parallel, at the same time, etc. without having to wait for a processed data counterpart to be generated. The raw data may have one or more properties that may be useful and ascertained for directing at least one of the subsequent video coding operations. Generally speaking, such preliminary decision-making may be viewed as a feedforward application of information related to the raw data or the input video signal.

Such application may also be particularly useful within relatively lower complex implementations. For example, some devices or applications may be limited in terms of computational resources including provision hardware, memory, etc., and such intra-prediction decision-making based upon raw data may be particularly suitable for such situations. In addition, within devices or applications operating based upon relatively modest power budgets (e.g., battery powered or operated devices), making such decisions based upon raw data may provide a means by which there is a reduction in the necessary processing resources required within such a device.

FIG. 18 and FIG. 19 are diagrams illustrating various embodiments 1800 and 1900, respectively, of video encoding architectures operative for making intra-prediction and/or inter-prediction (or neither) selection adaptively based at least on raw data (e.g., an input video signal).

Referring to the embodiment 1800 of FIG. 18, as can be seen with respect to this diagram, this diagram has some similarities to video encoding architectures of previous diagrams. In this particular diagram, analysis and/or determination of information related to raw data or an input video signal may be used to drive the decision regarding operational mode is performed within a video encoder. Specifically, whether or not to perform intra-prediction, intra-prediction, or neither intra-prediction nor intra-prediction may be made based upon raw data or an input video signal.

Referring to the embodiment 1900 of FIG. 19, as can be seen with respect to this diagram, this diagram has some similarities to video encoding architectures of previous diagrams. In this particular diagram, as with the previous diagram, analysis and/or determination of information related to raw data or an input video signal may be used to drive the decision regarding operational mode is performed within a video encoder. Specifically, whether or not to perform intra-prediction, intra-prediction, or neither intra-prediction nor intra-prediction may be made based upon raw data or an input video signal.

FIG. 20 illustrates an embodiment 2000 of a video encoder, implemented with at least one internal decoder therein, whose operation is adaptive based on information provided from the at least one internal decoder and/or at least one remotely implemented decoder. As can be seen respect to this diagram, at least one internally implemented video decoder is included within a video encoder. Information may be provided to this internally implemented video decoder from any one or more modules, operations, etc. within the video encoder. Such an internally implemented video decoder may be used to ensure synchronization and/or otherwise adjust the encoded output from the video encoder to ensure better service. This internally implemented video decoder may also be used in assisting and identifying the appropriate intra-prediction operational mode to be used. For example, as has been described with respect to previous embodiments in which raw data or an input video signal is used to make at least a preliminary decision regarding intra-prediction mode (e.g., whether intra-prediction, intra-prediction, or neither in one embodiment, or one or more particular intra-prediction angular modes in another embodiment), such an internally implemented video decoder may be used to perform decoding of signals generated in accordance with one or more of those preliminary selected intra-prediction operational modes. That is to say, as few as one or more than one intra-prediction operational modes are performed thereby generating different respective possible video encoded signals, the internally implemented video decoder may be employed to decode those one or more respective video encoded signals thereby ascertaining or determining appropriate quality associated therewith. As such, this internally implemented video decoder may be used to assist in the decision regarding which intra-prediction operational mode should be used.

For example, considering a particular situation in which to two respective intra-prediction angular modes are preliminarily selected, then processing based upon those two respective intra-prediction angular modes may be simultaneously, in parallel, etc. performed thereby generating to respective video encoded signals. The internally implemented video decoder, which may include more than one video decoder to assist in accordance with simultaneous, in parallel, etc. decoding of different respective video encoded signals, is operative to decode those two respective video encoded signals generated based upon those two respective and initially selected intra-prediction angular modes. As such, an analysis of the quality associated with those two respective video encoded signals may be made, and one of them may be used for selecting one of the intra-prediction angular modes over the other. For example, such selection may be based upon which provides a better video encoded signal that, after having undergone video decoding, is of a higher quality.

Moreover, there may be embodiments implemented in which a video encoder performs a number of different possible encoding approaches (e.g., intra-prediction, intra-prediction, I frame, etc.) utilizing the raw data or input video signal and each respectively results in a video encoded signal. The internally implemented video decoder may be operative to determine which of these respective possible encoding approaches may provide for better performance in terms of certain operational considerations associated with a device that includes the video encoder, and/or other operational considerations associated with one or more communication networks, links, etc. by which the device including the video encoder is connected and/or coupled to one or more source devices and/or one or more destination devices. That is to say, such consideration may be the with respect to operational parameters and/or other considerations not specifically associated with the quality of the video encoded signal that may be generated. For example, consideration may be made with respect to current operating conditions locally and/or remotely with respect to an overall application. For example, in certain situations, one of the particular operational modes (e.g., intra-prediction) may provide acceptable but not the best visual quality within a video encoded signal, but that particular operational mode may nonetheless be selected to allow for the shutting down of one or more other operational modes (e.g., inter-prediction) in order to reduce complexity, increase speed, reduce power consumption, etc.

Analogously, if one particular operational mode (e.g., intra-prediction or intra-prediction) provide acceptable performance, there may be no need to perform I-frame processing at all. Alternatively, I-frame processing may be performed at a relatively reduced frequency. Generally speaking, these various multiple, possible operational modes may all be performed in parallel, simultaneously, etc. with respect to each other. In one embodiment, the best performing operational mode is selected, and the results generated thereby are employed for transmission. In another embodiment a least complex yet acceptably performing operational mode is selected, and the results generated thereby are employed for transmission. Depending upon a particular situation, the relative weighting of resultant video quality and computational complexity may be varied. For example, in certain situations or applications (e.g., relatively low complexity devices or applications), greater weighting may be applied to ensuring that the computational complexity associated with video encoding is as low as possible yet with providing an acceptable video quality. Alternatively, in situations or applications in which a great degree and amount of hardware, resources, etc. are in fact provisioned and available for use, greater weighting may be applied to ensuring that the video is at the highest possible quality with relatively low regard to ensuring a relatively low computational complexity.

In addition, it is noted that one or more memories may be provisioned for use by the various respective modules, processors, etc. as may be employed within such a device. Appropriate memory management and communication may be used to ensure appropriate availability and analysis of the respective video encoded signals as may be generated in accordance with the different operational modes employed. Moreover, in similar manner in which an internally implemented video decoder is employed for providing certain information related to video encoded signals generated, a remotely implemented video decoder may also provide signaling that may be used in accordance with such an adaptive processing as performed by the video encoder. That is to say, a video signal that is eventually selected and transmitted via one or more communication links, networks, etc. to one or more destination devices may subsequently undergo processing within those one or more destination devices. Information related to the processing thereof may be fed back to the video encoder for use in adaptively performing subsequent video encoding.

Also, with respect to certain desired embodiments, in accordance with determining how a video signal made react or be affected by various errors, such a video encoder operating in accordance with at least certain of the characteristics associated with FIG. 20 may operate by injecting one or more errors into one or more of the respective signal paths within the video encoder. For example, from certain perspectives, such intentional injection of errors may be made in accordance with preemptively determining how to handle such errors in accordance with video encoding. By assessing the effect of such injected errors, based upon information provided at least in part by the internally implemented video decoder, appropriate adaptation and selection of one or more operational parameters may be made (e.g., such as to minimize or eliminate any deleterious or reduction in perceptual quality of the video signal as may be experienced by a client or destination device). That is to say, by selectively providing such errors in a controlled manner, in conjunction with using information provided at least in part by the internally implemented video decoder, appropriate adaptation and selection of certain video encoding operations may be made in an effort to ensure a relatively high or acceptably high quality of the video signal as may be experienced by a client or distinction device.

FIG. 21A, FIG. 21B, FIG. 22A, and FIG. 22B illustrate various embodiments of methods for performing advance encode processing based on raw video data.

Referring to method 2100 of FIG. 21A, the method 2100 begins by adaptively processing a first portion of an input video signal in accordance with a first operational mode based on at least one characteristic associated with the input video signal in raw form before the input video signal undergoing any processing thereby generating a first portion of an output video bitstream, as shown in a block 2110. The method 2100 continues by adaptively processing a second portion of the input video signal in accordance with the first operational mode or a second operational mode based on at least one characteristic associated with the input video signal in partially or fully processed form after the input video signal undergoing at least one operation in accordance with video encoding thereby generating a second portion of the output video bitstream, as shown in a block 2120.

Referring to method 2101 of FIG. 21B, the method 2101 begins by adaptively processing a first portion of an input video signal in accordance with an intra-prediction video encoding operational mode based on at least one characteristic associated with the input video signal in raw form before the input video signal undergoing any processing thereby generating a first portion of an output video bitstream, as shown in a block 2111. The method 2101 continues by adaptively processing a second portion of the input video signal in accordance with the intra-prediction video encoding operational mode or an inter-prediction video encoding operational mode based on at least one characteristic associated with the input video signal in partially or fully processed form after the input video signal undergoing at least one operation in accordance with video encoding thereby generating a second portion of the output video bitstream, as shown in a block 2121.

Referring to method 2200 of FIG. 22A, the method 2200 begins by adaptively processing a first portion of an input video signal in accordance with a first intra-prediction angular mode based on at least one characteristic associated with the input video signal in raw form before the input video signal undergoing any processing thereby generating a first portion of an output video bitstream, as shown in a block 2210.

The method 2200 continues by adaptively processing a second portion of the input video signal in accordance with the first intra-prediction angular mode or a second intra-prediction angular mode based on at least one characteristic associated with the input video signal in partially or fully processed form after the input video signal undergoing at least one operation in accordance with video encoding thereby generating a second portion of the output video bitstream, as shown in a block 2220.

Referring to method 2201 of FIG. 22B, the method 2201 begins by adaptively processing a first portion of an input video signal in accordance with each intra-prediction angular mode of a subset of all possible intra-prediction angular modes, in parallel or simultaneously, based on at least one characteristic associated with the input video signal in raw form before the input video signal undergoing a processing thereby generating a plurality of possible first portions of an output video bitstream, as shown in a block 2211. The method 2201 may be implemented to perform operations of the blocks 2221 in 2231 in parallel or simultaneously. For example, the method 2201 operates by selecting (e.g., outputting) one of the plurality of possible first portions of an output video bitstream as a first portion of an output video bitstream, as shown in a block 2221. That is to say, one of the possible first portions of the output video bitstream may be selected and output. In some instances, there is some selectivity or intelligence associated with selecting this one of the possible first portions of the output video bitstream to be the output. In other instances, one of the possible first portions of the output video bitstream is merely selected and output (e.g., perhaps randomly selected) without necessarily considering any one or more characteristics. However, it is noted that a preferred embodiment will typically include some selectivity or intelligence in accordance with selecting even the first one of the possible first portions of the output video bitstream to be output initially.

While this first one of the possible first portions the output videos bitstream is being output, the method 2201 operates in accordance with decoding each of the plurality of possible first portions of the output video bitstream in accordance with selecting one of the intra-prediction angular modes of the subset of all possible intra-prediction angular modes, as shown in a block 2231. For example, as has been described with respect to other diagrams and/or embodiments herein, decoding may be performed within the very same device in which one or more of multiple respective signals may be encoded. Based upon analysis of any one or more characteristics associated with the respective plurality of possible first portions of the output video bitstream and/or decoded versions thereof, the method 2201 is operative to select of the intra-prediction angular modes. For example, the selected intra-prediction angular mode, from among all possible intra-prediction angular modes, may be selected based upon any one or more of a number of considerations.

In some instances, this involves selecting one of the intra-prediction angular modes as being that which provides the best overall portion of the output video bitstream (e.g., such as in terms of quality, resolution, etc.). In other instances, this involves selecting one of the intra-prediction angular modes based upon that which may be implemented in accordance with a desired amount of complexity (e.g., such as that being which may be implemented in accordance with least amount of computational complexity). In even other instances, this involves selecting one of the intra-prediction angular modes based upon that which provides for the fewest number of errors or no errors. Generally speaking, one of the intra-prediction angular modes is then selected, and the method 2201 operates by adaptively processing a second portion of the input video signal in accordance with the selected one of the intra-prediction angular modes of the subset of all possible intra-prediction angular modes thereby generating a second portion of the output video bitstream, as shown in a block 2241.

It is also noted that the various operations and functions as described with respect to various methods herein may be performed within a communication device, such as using a baseband processing module and/or a processing module implemented therein and/or other component(s) therein.

As may be used herein, the terms “substantially” and “approximately” provides an industry-accepted tolerance for its corresponding term and/or relativity between items. Such an industry-accepted tolerance ranges from less than one percent to fifty percent and corresponds to, but is not limited to, component values, integrated circuit process variations, temperature variations, rise and fall times, and/or thermal noise. Such relativity between items ranges from a difference of a few percent to magnitude differences. As may also be used herein, the term(s) “operably coupled to”, “coupled to”, and/or “coupling” includes direct coupling between items and/or indirect coupling between items via an intervening item (e.g., an item includes, but is not limited to, a component, an element, a circuit, and/or a module) where, for indirect coupling, the intervening item does not modify the information of a signal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/or power level. As may further be used herein, inferred coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another element by inference) includes direct and indirect coupling between two items in the same manner as “coupled to”. As may even further be used herein, the term “operable to” or “operably coupled to” indicates that an item includes one or more of power connections, input(s), output(s), etc., to perform, when activated, one or more its corresponding functions and may further include inferred coupling to one or more other items. As may still further be used herein, the term “associated with”, includes direct and/or indirect coupling of separate items and/or one item being embedded within another item. As may be used herein, the term “compares favorably”, indicates that a comparison between two or more items, signals, etc., provides a desired relationship. For example, when the desired relationship is that signal 1 has a greater magnitude than signal 2, a favorable comparison may be achieved when the magnitude of signal 1 is greater than that of signal 2 or when the magnitude of signal 2 is less than that of signal 1.

As may also be used herein, the terms “processing module”, “processing circuit”, and/or “processing unit” may be a single processing device or a plurality of processing devices. Such a processing device may be a microprocessor, micro-controller, digital signal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, field programmable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logic circuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device that manipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of the circuitry and/or operational instructions. The processing module, module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit may be, or further include, memory and/or an integrated memory element, which may be a single memory device, a plurality of memory devices, and/or embedded circuitry of another processing module, module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, random access memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory, dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or any device that stores digital information. Note that if the processing module, module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit includes more than one processing device, the processing devices may be centrally located (e.g., directly coupled together via a wired and/or wireless bus structure) or may be distributedly located (e.g., cloud computing via indirect coupling via a local area network and/or a wide area network). Further note that if the processing module, module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit implements one or more of its functions via a state machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry, the memory and/or memory element storing the corresponding operational instructions may be embedded within, or external to, the circuitry comprising the state machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry. Still further note that, the memory element may store, and the processing module, module, processing circuit, and/or processing unit executes, hard coded and/or operational instructions corresponding to at least some of the steps and/or functions illustrated in one or more of the Figures. Such a memory device or memory element can be included in an article of manufacture.

The present invention has been described above with the aid of method steps illustrating the performance of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functional building blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined herein for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships are appropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. Further, the boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries could be defined as long as the certain significant functions are appropriately performed. Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarily defined herein to illustrate certain significant functionality. To the extent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence could have been defined otherwise and still perform the certain significant functionality. Such alternate definitions of both functional building blocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. One of average skill in the art will also recognize that the functional building blocks, and other illustrative blocks, modules and components herein, can be implemented as illustrated or by discrete components, application specific integrated circuits, processors executing appropriate software and the like or any combination thereof.

The present invention may have also been described, at least in part, in terms of one or more embodiments. An embodiment of the present invention is used herein to illustrate the present invention, an aspect thereof, a feature thereof, a concept thereof, and/or an example thereof. A physical embodiment of an apparatus, an article of manufacture, a machine, and/or of a process that embodies the present invention may include one or more of the aspects, features, concepts, examples, etc. described with reference to one or more of the embodiments discussed herein. Further, from figure to figure, the embodiments may incorporate the same or similarly named functions, steps, modules, etc. that may use the same or different reference numbers and, as such, the functions, steps, modules, etc. may be the same or similar functions, steps, modules, etc. or different ones.

While such circuitries in the above described figure(s) may including transistors, such as field effect transistors (FETs), as one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, such transistors may be implemented using any type of transistor structure including, but not limited to, bipolar, metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET), N-well transistors, P-well transistors, enhancement mode, depletion mode, and zero voltage threshold (VT) transistors.

Unless specifically stated to the contra, signals to, from, and/or between elements in a figure of any of the figures presented herein may be analog or digital, continuous time or discrete time, and single-ended or differential. For instance, if a signal path is shown as a single-ended path, it also represents a differential signal path. Similarly, if a signal path is shown as a differential path, it also represents a single-ended signal path. While one or more particular architectures are described herein, other architectures can likewise be implemented that use one or more data buses not expressly shown, direct connectivity between elements, and/or indirect coupling between other elements as recognized by one of average skill in the art.

The term “module” is used in the description of the various embodiments of the present invention. A module includes a processing module, a functional block, hardware, and/or software stored on memory for performing one or more functions as may be described herein. Note that, if the module is implemented via hardware, the hardware may operate independently and/or in conjunction software and/or firmware. As used herein, a module may contain one or more sub-modules, each of which may be one or more modules.

While particular combinations of various functions and features of the present invention have been expressly described herein, other combinations of these features and functions are likewise possible. The present invention is not limited by the particular examples disclosed herein and expressly incorporates these other combinations. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: a video encoder for: adaptively processing in parallel or simultaneously a first portion of an input video signal in accordance with each intra-prediction angular mode of a subset of all possible intra-prediction angular modes, selected based on at least one characteristic associated with the input video signal in raw form before the input video signal undergoing any processing, thereby generating a plurality of possible first portions of an output video bitstream one of which being selected and output as a first portion of the output video bitstream; and adaptively processing a second portion of the input video signal in accordance with a selected intra-prediction angular mode of the subset of all possible intra-prediction angular modes based on at least one characteristic associated with at least one of the plurality of possible first portions of the output video bitstream thereby generating a second portion of the output video bitstream; and a video decoder for decoding each of the plurality of possible first portions of the output video bitstream thereby generating a plurality of decoded video signals and for identifying the at least one characteristic associated with at least one of the plurality of possible first portions of the output video bitstream based on the plurality of decoded video signals.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: a first intra-prediction angular mode of the subset of all possible intra-prediction angular modes extending from a first pixel to a second pixel within a frame or picture corresponding to the input video signal; and a second intra-prediction angular mode of the subset of all possible intra-prediction angular modes extending from the first pixel to a third pixel within the frame or picture corresponding to the input video signal.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the video encoder for outputting a portion of the input video signal preceding the first portion of the input video signal as a portion of the output video bitstream preceding the first portion of the output video bitstream.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the video encoder including a plurality of processing modules for respectively performing respective operations in accordance with video encoding the input video signal; and the video decoder for receiving a plurality of information respectively from the plurality of processing modules and directing adaptation of at least one of the plurality of processing modules based on at least one of the plurality of information.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the apparatus being a communication device operative within at least one of a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-optic communication system, and a mobile communication system.
 6. An apparatus, comprising: a video encoder for: adaptively processing a first portion of an input video signal in accordance with a first operational mode based on at least one characteristic associated with the input video signal in raw form before the input video signal undergoing any processing thereby generating a first portion of an output video bitstream; and adaptively processing a second portion of the input video signal in accordance with the first operational mode or a second operational mode based on at least one characteristic associated with the input video signal in partially or fully processed form after the input video signal undergoing at least one operation in accordance with video encoding thereby generating a second portion of the output video bitstream.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the first operational mode being a first intra-prediction angular mode extending from a first pixel to a second pixel within a frame or picture corresponding to the input video signal; and the second operational mode being a second intra-prediction angular mode extending from the first pixel to a third pixel within the frame or picture corresponding to the input video signal.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the first operational mode corresponding to an intra-prediction video encoding operational mode; and the second operational mode corresponding to an inter-prediction video encoding operational mode.
 9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the first operational mode corresponding to outputting the first portion of the input video signal as the first portion of the output video bitstream; and the second operational mode corresponding to an intra-prediction video encoding operational mode or an inter-prediction video encoding operational mode.
 10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the first operational mode being an intra-prediction angular mode extending from a first pixel to a second pixel within a frame or picture corresponding to the input video signal; and the second operational mode corresponding to an intra-prediction video encoding operational mode or an inter-prediction video encoding operational mode.
 11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the first operational mode being a first intra-prediction angular mode extending from a first pixel to a second pixel within a frame or picture corresponding to the input video signal; in accordance with adaptively processing a first portion of an input video signal in accordance with a first operational mode, the video encoder for processing the first portion of the input video signal in accordance with each intra-prediction angular mode of a subset of all possible intra-prediction angular modes, including the first intra-prediction angular mode, in parallel or simultaneously thereby generating a plurality of possible first portions of the output video bitstream including the first portion of the output video bitstream; and the second operational mode being a second intra-prediction angular mode, selected from the subset of all possible intra-prediction angular modes, extending from the first pixel to a third pixel within the frame or picture corresponding to the input video signal.
 12. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: a video decoder for decoding at least one of the first portion of the output video bitstream and the second portion of the output video bitstream thereby generating a decoded video signal; and wherein: the video encoder for adaptively processing the second portion of the input video signal or a third portion of the input video signal based on at least one characteristic of the decoded video signal.
 13. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: a video decoder for decoding at least one of the first portion of the output video bitstream and the second portion of the output video bitstream thereby generating a decoded video signal; and wherein: the at least one video encoder including a plurality of processing modules for respectively performing respective operations in accordance with video encoding the input video signal; and the video decoder for receiving a plurality of information respectively from the plurality of processing modules and directing adaptation of at least one of the plurality of processing modules based on at least one of the plurality of information.
 14. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the apparatus being a communication device operative within at least one of a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-optic communication system, and a mobile communication system.
 15. A method for operating a video encoder, the method comprising: adaptively processing a first portion of an input video signal in accordance with a first operational mode based on at least one characteristic associated with the input video signal in raw form before the input video signal undergoing any processing thereby generating a first portion of an output video bitstream; and adaptively processing a second portion of the input video signal in accordance with the first operational mode or a second operational mode based on at least one characteristic associated with the input video signal in partially or fully processed form after the input video signal undergoing at least one operation in accordance with video encoding thereby generating a second portion of the output video bitstream.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein: the first operational mode being a first intra-prediction angular mode extending from a first pixel to a second pixel within a frame or picture corresponding to the input video signal; and the second operational mode being a second intra-prediction angular mode extending from the first pixel to a third pixel within the frame or picture corresponding to the input video signal.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein: the first operational mode corresponding to an intra-prediction video encoding operational mode; and the second operational mode corresponding to an inter-prediction video encoding operational mode.
 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising: the first operational mode corresponding to outputting the first portion of the input video signal as the first portion of the output video bitstream; and the second operational mode corresponding to an intra-prediction video encoding operational mode or an inter-prediction video encoding operational mode.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein: the first operational mode being an intra-prediction angular mode extending from a first pixel to a second pixel within a frame or picture corresponding to the input video signal; and the second operational mode corresponding to an intra-prediction video encoding operational mode or an inter-prediction video encoding operational mode.
 20. The method of claim 15, wherein: the first operational mode being a first intra-prediction angular mode extending from a first pixel to a second pixel within a frame or picture corresponding to the input video signal; and further comprising: in accordance with adaptively processing a first portion of an input video signal in accordance with a first operational mode, processing the first portion of the input video signal in accordance with each intra-prediction angular mode of a subset of all possible intra-prediction angular modes, including the first intra-prediction angular mode, in parallel or simultaneously thereby generating a plurality of possible first portions of the output video bitstream including the first portion of the output video bitstream; and wherein: the second operational mode being a second intra-prediction angular mode, selected from the subset of all possible intra-prediction angular modes, extending from the first pixel to a third pixel within the frame or picture corresponding to the input video signal.
 21. The method of claim 15, further comprising: operating a video decoder for decoding at least one of the first portion of the output video bitstream and the second portion of the output video bitstream thereby generating a decoded video signal; and operating the video encoder for adaptively processing the second portion of the input video signal or a third portion of the input video signal based on at least one characteristic of the decoded video signal.
 22. The method of claim 15, further comprising: operating a video decoder for decoding at least one of the first portion of the output video bitstream and the second portion of the output video bitstream thereby generating a decoded video signal, wherein the video encoder including a plurality of processing modules for respectively performing respective operations in accordance with video encoding the input video signal; and operating the video decoder for receiving a plurality of information respectively from the plurality of processing modules and directing adaptation of at least one of the plurality of processing modules based on at least one of the plurality of information.
 23. The method of claim 15, wherein: the video encoder implemented within a communication device operative within at least one of a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, a fiber-optic communication system, and a mobile communication system. 